This invention relates to a pellet handling device which can dispense pellets from a bulk supply source in an accurate manner. More particularly, it relates to a bactericidal tablet dispensing apparatus which employs a unique rotor mechanism so that it can accurately dispense a tablet from a mass of tablets in a hopper and into the water system while utilizing a minimum number of component parts. This invention further relates to an improved method of dispensing a bactericidal pellet.
A chemical tablet dispensing device for wells is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,525 and 4,235,849. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,525, a base plate is positioned at the bottom of a container and has an aperture for receiving tablets. The tablets are presented to it by means of a rotating metering plate also having a port or cell therein to receive the tablets. Various baffling type structures are employed for purposes of presenting the tablets to the metering plate. The positioning of a metering plate transversely over the bottom of a container for a mass of tablets is commonplace and is also illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,738 as well as French Pat. No. 1.086.632. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,247, a water treatment device is utilized wherein water is circulated to a receptacle having a bactericidal material therein and in U.S. Pat. No. 1,523,118 pulverulant material is introduced into a water treating system from a hopper with the material being discharged on a discharge plate. In those instances where the prior art describes the tablet dispensing type devices, they are either susceptible to jamming as in the instance of the dispensing device in U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,525 where a slip clutch mechanism is employed. This jamming of tablets occurs in tablet dispensing devices where a metering type plate with an orifice extends in a straight passage through the plate and in conjunction with a base plate having a similar orifice. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,849 a metering plate or disc is disposed at an incline with respect to the bottom wall of a housing for the tablets. However, this particular metering plate as is true of many prior art metering plates including that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,525 utilizes openings in the metering plates to effect a sliding action of the tablets over a base plate or bottom wall until the tablet carrying opening is orientated with an opening in the base plate. This type of structure lends itself to tablets becoming jammed in the openings as well as in the housing for the metering plates. In order to compensate for the jamming problems, various types of mechanisms such as the slip clutch or the baffle structures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,525 and 4,235,849 have been developed.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a pellet dispensing apparatus which can accurately and dependably dispense pellets from a bulk source. It is another advantage of this invention to provide a bactericidal pellet dispensing mechanism which is readily adapted to being placed on a hopper for the pellets. Still another advantage of this invention is a pellet dispensing apparatus employing a rotor which has unique pellet carrying passages therein so that the rotor will accept a single pellet in each discharge passage and in the event that a pellet is lodged in the rotor housing, the rotor can be reversed and yet accurately dispense the pellets therefrom in a self-reversing manner. Other advantages of this invention are an improved timing control mechanism for use with a pellet dispensing mechanism; a pellet dispensing mechanism employing a minimum number of component parts; can be employed with a low torque, bidirectional self-reversing motor so that the pellet dispensing apparatus can clear itself in the event of pellet jamming as well as of any particulate debris; and can be employed with various types of timing mechanisms and in conjunction with a wide variety of applications.